War Log of 2nd Lt Alfred Williams.

S

Siggi

Guest
November 27th 1917.
Bruay, Flanders, France.
Office of CO Major Hector Chambers.

*Knock knock*

"Enter!"

"2nd Lt Alfred Williams, reporting for duty SAH!"

"Ok young man, settle down..."

"SAH!"

"Oh dear, you're a bright young spark, aren't you."

"SAH!"

"Do you think you could possibly stop trying to impersonate a company Sgt Major?"

"SAH! Er...SAH?"

"Stand at ease Williams, and for god's sake stop hollering SAH! This isn't the parade ground back in blighty, this is an operational unit and my head's a bit squiffy. Tied one on last night and didn't get to bed until I'd woken up. Sit down and put a cork in it, there's a good fellow."

"Sir. Sorry sir..."

"That's better. Care for a cup of tea? The batman does a very nice cuppa...think he's out collecting firewood at the moment though...never mind, you'll survive."

"Sir."

"Ok, let me have your docs...thankyou...so, let's see...trained on the Pup mainly did you...we have Camels here...how long do you have on Camels Williams?"

"A little over three hours sir."

"Oh dear. Well look, here's the keys, squadron hack is out front, go have a play and we'll sort you out for ops in a few days, ok?"

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Er...play, sir...? I'm not sure I follow..."

"Play Williams. Fly. Around. But not anywhere near or towards the front. Understood?"

"Yes sir!"

"Ah, I see by that glint in your eye you don't. Let me be clearer then...you go one mile east of here and I'll have your commision so fast it'll set your buttons alight. Got me?"

"Loud and clear sir".

"Good. Get some hours on the Camel...as you should know, flying a Camel is a bit like making love to a beautiful woman...you enter her, take her high, throw her around a bit, put her into a spin, then bring her back to earth and put her under the covers for the night. I'm sure you get the picture."

"Yes sir, framed and hung sir."

"Don't be cheeky Williams. Now shoo, I'll catch up with you in a few days."

"Yes sir, thankyou sir."

"These poor little buggers, what do HQ think they're playing at, sending us half-trained boys...?"
 
Siggi,
You are the man!! You are by far the worst offender for someone that is still waiting for the game!! Seriously your writing is awesome. Do you have prior writing experience? Once I receive the game I hope to do a after action report, based on drawing inspiration from you. Thanks much.
 
Laughing bucketsful, Siggi! Thanks!

And BRUCE - I know how you suffer. But it will be rewarded, son. It will be rewarded !!! :jump:
 
Thank you kindly gents. :) It sets a scene, but it's somewhat curtailed. I imagine a real conversation would be much more involved than that. But suspension of disbelief is key, what what.
 
27th Nov 17.
Bruay.
RFC-54

Well, I'm here finally. Just got back from reporting to the CO, and he's a rum cove alright. Very odd chap. Told me to go "play with a Camel". Well, I shall too. Pater didn't raise me a fool, I know I'm going to need every hour's worth of practice I can get if I'm going to last long enough to get those *******s back for Sidney. Don't suppose the CO has a clue my brother was in the squadron. Don't think he's even the same CO Sidney had, Alverston I think his name was.

The room's not half bad, though it's colder than a witch's tit in here. I'll get my kit put away, then head over to the mess and introduce myself to the chaps. I've no doubt they'll rag me rotten, the fate of every new squib I'm afraid. Which is why pater gave me the bottle of Johnny Black, oil the wheels of acceptance and all that. I wonder if one should wear ones revolver for drinks...?
 
Siggi said:
Thank you kindly gents. :) It sets a scene, but it's somewhat curtailed. I imagine a real conversation would be much more involved than that. But suspension of disbelief is key, what what.
Click to expand...

Abso - bally - lutely!

Lovely stuff! I imagine the part of Chambers' errant batman is to be offered to Tony Robinson! :applause:

[Thought I'd posted this before, but must have hit wrong button... DOH!]
 
28th Nov 17.
Bruay.
RFC-54

Up bright and early this morning at 7am, despite last night's rowdy introduction. And what a beautiful morning it was too. Sun just coming up, leaden skies and that fresh smell of wet grass and cold damp wind, surrounded by a silence broken only by the occasional bark of a distant dog and a cock crowing on a nearby farm. Glorious!

I got myself a cup of coffee and went for a walk around the airfield. The crews began stirring shortly thereafter and I had some of them attend to the old bus. 08:15 and I was up and away and off for a trip to the coast. It was a wonderful flight. Heavy low clouds, black and grey, but I could see for miles. Then the smell of the brine as I reached the sea. I flew along the seashore for a few miles, admiring the scenery. People below, going about their business as if there was no war. And I don't suppose there is, for them, so far away from the front.

I'd seen off a good half a tank of petrol by the time I got back. The CO's chimney was smoking, so I gave his billet a good buzzing, just to let him know I was having a good "play".

Time for a spot of lunch now, pip pip!
 
Formidable SiggI!

I hope zhis one will last lonker, zhan your last pilot. So we will have a real good opponent? Maybe he become an Ace.
 
1st Dec 17.
Bruay.
RFC-54

The old man has had me up with a couple of the chaps over the last few days, practicing combat maneouvres. The morale around here is rather low it appears, due to heavy and consistent losses and not a lot of successes.

I think I'm ready. I've shot down Cpt Sellick three times, Lt Edith once and gave Sgt Lawley a run for his money too. I've been shot down only twenty odd times, which makes me an ace apparently. Is this what they call 'gallows humour'?

I'm going to badger the old man. I'm here to fight, not barnstorm.
 
12th Dec 17.
Bruay.
RFC-54

I bagged a hun! On my first combat mission and I shot one of the *******s down!

I'm also sitting in bed in the infirmary. I ran into the windsock when I landed. Cracked two ribs and it hurts like blazes.

Ok, to describe my first kill for posterity.
We were on a patrol behind our lines, but the old man said we could do a free hunt up the line after our official task was finished, but that I was to turn for home immediately if the hun was spotted. Well there was no chance of my standing still for that kind of rot!

We finished our patrol and Cpt Sellick took us east towards the front. I have to admit I was already excited to be on my first proper mission, but when the line came in sight my heart really started to do the rumba. As we got closer I saw the captain's wings start to rock and he changed direction. I strained my eyes and then saw a group of airplanes about a mile ahead, quite low and turning slowly away to the left. We went after them, but I suppose I assumed they were British for some reason.

After a bit of a struggle I managed to get my binoculars sorted out and focused on the planes. Roundels...? No, by jove, those were crosses! The hun! Four or five scouts, and we had the position on them. Cpt Sellick waved for the attack and off we went, full throttle and a shallow dive. My mouth was dry as a cracker in a desert and my heart was pounding. What to do, how to do it! All the stuff the chaps had told me seemed to evaporate.

The other chaps seemed to vanish. The other huns seemed to vanish. I was focused on one, turning slowly left, and gaining on him. Pale and dark-blue in a two-tone pattern, a bit like a shark or dolphin. Then he nosed down as I caught him up and I thought he must have spotted me. But no, he was commencing a strafing run on some of our chaps on the ground. I saw and heard him firing and watched his tracers going down. At this point I was about 400ft behind him, but I opened fire, hoping to distract him from his target. Then I realised my rounds might be going into our chaps too, so I stopped.

The hun suddenly pulled up and away to the right, then went level. I closed the gap until I was about 100ft behind him, shaking like a leaf, got him squarely in my sights, unable to believe he couldn't know I was there, and opened fire. Hits all over his fuselage! Now he knew! I saw him look back, his face shocked, then he banked violently left. I stayed with him and began firing short bursts into him. Suddenly everything seemed automatic. I even checked behind me, strangely afraid that the hun in front would be gone when I looked back.

His next trick was to jink, left and right. Then he retarded his throttle, so I did the same and stayed with him. All the time I was firing short bursts into him and seeing pieces of his kite fly off. Then he went level again for a moment and I let him have a good long squeeze. I heard him scream then, which was rather a nasty shock. Up until that point he'd been just an aeroplane, now he was suddenly a person.

After that his kite rolled slowly right, went over on it's back and fell into the ground a few hundred feet below. I heard the bang, and when I turned around to look he was there burning.

And that was that. When I looked around for any other kites, ours or theirs, not a sausage. So I turned for home, but after a few minutes the rest of my flight were behind me and catching up. We saw a group of our own 2-seaters on the way back, but no more hun.

Then I ran into the windsock while landing and bent the kite and myself. Two weeks layup, CO's orders.

My claim is in, and all three chaps from my flight have witnessed it for me. Cpt Sellick, Lt Ackerman and Sgt Stevenson. The old man and Lt Edith got a claim in each too. Things seem a bit more cheerful at the moment and a few of the chaps are calling me a lucky charm. Three kills for the Sq and no losses. I hope they're all confirmed, they say HQ can be a bit priggish about it sometimes.

Well, the nurse will be along with a bit of tiffin shortly, so time to sign off.
 
28th Dec 17.
Lahoussoye.
RFC-54

Another hun in the pot!

Yesterday's mission was aborted due to the engine going rough after about fifteen minutes into the flight.

Today we took off at around quarter to nine for a patrol behind our lines. When we got there we found a flight of hun scouts roughing up our chaps in the trenches. We dived staight in, the old ticker going like the clappers again, and I singled one out as he pulled clear from his run. I managed to get a couple of bursts off at him but somehow managed to stall my kite at around 1000ft and span alarmingly. I didn't think I was going to be able to save it but thanks to all the extra practice the old man allowed me I made it with literally feet to spare.

I got clear of the lines and turned back in to see if I could pick up another hun. I could see our chaps tangling with them and then saw one detach from the fight and come out roughly in my direction, about 500ft higher than me. I turned into his curve and snapped off a burst at his nose as he went by. He can't have seen where it came from but it made him turn down and away from me, giving me a perfect position. I closed up on him as he levelled out, both of us about 500ft up at this point, and I gave him a short burst from about 200ft range. Saw the hits go in and he turned left, not particularly tightly, and I closed the gap some more, giving him short bursts as we went. He turned right, quite sharply this time, but I stayed with him and closed to about 100ft range. Then I really let him have it and saw my hits chewing large pieces from him. He banked left and crashed into no-mans land in a lazy diving turn.

I immediately exited the lines and noticed that the kite was responding a little slowly. Had a good look around and found holes here and there, most noticeably in the lower wings. Had to be ground fire. Time to leave, even though there were hun kites a couple of thousand feet away still tangling with our chaps. Discretion being the better part of valour and all that. Made it home with no further incident.

I've put my claim in, the first is still pending the Adj tells me. Two claims now and I'm feeling quite chuffed with myself.
 
28th PM

We had an afternoon patrol, quite deep behind enemy lines. No huns spotted but plenty of Archie. Two of our flight went missing and I feared the worst, but they turned up safe and well back at home.

Sgt Stevenson is still recovering from his injuries and Lt Roland is still missing. I hope he made it down safe somewhere, but one fears the worst.

HQ have tabled us as 'Poor', or so Cpt Sellick heard from one of his old pals back at the mansion. Too many losses, not enough kills and bad morale. But we have a few claims pending now, and the old man has one confirmed. Still heard nothing about mine of the 12th.
 
Siggi said:
Still heard nothing about mine of the 12th.
Click to expand...

You should be in 56, Siggi, they put our claims through much more quickly... probably something to do with Albert :d

And :woot: on Alfred's on-going story... sorry I called him Andrew before. :redface:
 
Dej said:
You should be in 56, Siggi, they put our claims through much more quickly... probably something to do with Albert :d

And :woot: on Alfred's on-going story... sorry I called him Andrew before. :redface:
Click to expand...

It's tempting (transfer to 56) but I would feel like a bit of a cad were I to run out on the chaps here. The shop is in a bit of a rut alright, but if we pull together we should be able to improve matters somewhat.

Give our regards to Albert and ask him if he can't have a word with HQ about our claims and see if they can't be hurried along a bit, our morale could do with a bit of a fillup. :)
 
29th Dec 17.
Lahoussoye.
RFC-54

Jolly good news after I'd been driven back to the shop, both my kills have been confirmed. Hurrah! And hurrah again I say! They're for you Sidney, and god willing there are plenty more to come.

We escorted a group of Harry Tates over the lines this morning, saw no huns again but my tank was holed by Archie and I barely made it back over the lines before putting down very heavily in a crater-strewn field. The Camel glides like a bally brick. She's a write-off I'm afraid. I'm ok, apart from being covered in the most vile and odious mud. Luckily I was able to get a drive back in a lorry. A hot meal and a bath and I'm right as rain. The orderley is seeing to my clobber.

Celebration in the mess tonight, a few toasts to my kills.
 
1st Jan 18.
Flez.
RFC-54

We were grounded for the last couple of days, winter is here and it's been snowing hard. Today it let up and we were tasked with attacking ground units over the front. That was a novel experience and no mistake! I actually touched down on one run while shooting up a column of trucks and infantry.

I took a few rounds through my wings and had to break off eventually as the kite was becoming sluggish to roll. No hun kites spotted.

We're at Flez now, very close behind the front. I hope that doesn't mean we're going to be attracting raids.
 
3rd Jan 18.
Flez.
RFC-54.

Ding dong! What a fight! Driving snow, aerodrome defence, in sight of our own, four of us caught the hun strafing a nearby aerodrome. We engaged immediately and I latched onto one while the chaps engaged the others. I chased him to the ground, putting short bursts into him but then he slipped away. I found him again very quickly and continued the attack, finally forcing him into the ground where he crashed in flames.

I looked around and saw one of the other huns on the tail of Edith, who was leading him a merry chase. I closed immediately, firing short bursts at long range to try and drive him off, which succeeded. I got on his tail and began chewing the blighter up. He swerved left and right, trying to shake me off, and kept looking over his shoulder at me. All I could see was a scarfed face and a huge pair of goggles. At this point I was about fifty feet from him and put a very long burst in. I saw pieces fly off his kite and then a spray of what looked like blood. His kite immediately fell away towards the ground and he began rocking his wings. I followed him down until he landed close by one of our army camps. Captured or dead, I'll find out later.

Looking around again I could make out tracers dimly in the distance and went at full throttle. I came across the other hun giving Lawley a very bad time. He was close on his tail, pouring fire into him and it didn't look like Lawley had long left. I fired from long range again, and once more the hun was driven off. I closed with him and got on his tail and began to give the third hun of the day a jolly good thrashing. Then the dreaded 'Click Click' and I was out of ammunition. Damn and blast! The hun was nearly a goner too, his kite was all over the place. Last I saw of him he was struggling due east, but it didn't look like he was going to make it. No claim for him however.

I've put two claims in to the Adj, but I'm not sure how they'll view the force-landed one. He's a kill as far as I'm concerned, so that puts me four up and only one away from being an ace, officially or otherwise. Who would have thought it?!

The chaps are treating me as a bit of a star at the moment, Lawley especially. He's pretty shaken up by the whole thing, he had a rather horrid time of it. His kite is shot to bits and he was very lucky to get it down in one piece. Or what was left of it.
I won't be buying my drinks tonight. Pip pip!
 
Well done Siggi! It would be interesting to see whether you can raise your units ability by keeping your squaddies alive. I have no clue, I'm learning as I go along. Now to try and program the Saitek.
 
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